January 23...What is Teaching?
What do you make of Ayers' way of talking about teaching? Did he bring up any new/different ways of understanding the enterprise? Any other thoughts?
January 28...Jefferson, Meritocracy and Schooling
Jefferson was very interested in creating a meritocracy (leaders chosen for their talent, virtue, ability, etc.). Discuss the idea of meritocracy, either in Jefferson's time or how it seems to play out today. Some possible questions: Do we live in a meritocracy? Did Jefferson's ideas have potential to move us toward a meritocracy? What problems are there with the idea of meritocracy (in his time and/or ours)?
Morgan H:
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading about Ayers’s thoughts on teaching. Through his writing he sounded so passionate talking about all different kinds of teachers. My favourite part of this text was on page 18 when he says “I want teachers to figure out what they are teaching for and what they are teaching against… I want teachers to commit to a path with a certain direction and rhythm.” To me, this is something important for every teacher. If you don't know your roles and values as a teacher, how will you know what is important to teach? Ayer mentions that the curriculum tells us what is to be valued and why. It is the teacher's job to understand that not every child will walk the same path in getting to that expected knowledge. Through his writing Ayer made it very clear that teachers have high stakes to meet and they hold a lot of power. With this power comes decisions that won’t always be easy or straight forward. Also with this power comes choices, choices about what kind of teacher you will be. Speaking of teachers inviting possibility, Ayer says “whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever you have done, this teacher invites transformation.” On the other hand, he talks about teachers enforcing strict rules which lead to schools “resembling prison in both tone and temperament.” As future teachers, it’s important we recognize how our actions can come across to children, but also the type of teacher we want to be.
Garen: I completely agree with everything you stated. every teacher should be following a certain direction and rhythm like Ayer's said and in my opinion i believe its to get in a routine and find out what works best vs what doesn't with teaching but i believe that while doing so even if you have found a direction and rhythm you should still be open to new ideas and ways to make your teaching better. That being said you should have the direction and be doing it because you love it and because you want kids to learn not because you feel like you have to because that leads to poor teaching. Though i agree with his comment on curriculum and it needed t be valued and why, i do believe that teachers should be given more freedom when it comes to the curriculum. I believe teachers hold alot of power because what they do in the classroom can decide whether or not a kid fails or prospers or if they become excited about school or give up. I do agree that we as future teachers need to keep in mind how our actions come across to kids so we are beneficial to them.
DeleteCarla:
ReplyDeleteI think Ayers’ way of talking about teaching is totally right. He brings up new ideas of understanding the enterprise by describing the huge influence educators have on their students. Although he gives examples of some educators using this great power to implement harsh punishment and construct a “dehumanizing” school system, his overall hope for what teaching should be is exactly what I would argue as well. As individuals who want to become teachers, he makes us question and reflect on our own ideas, to have clear what we oppose or resist, and what we want to work towards. I think his examples of the authoritarian teacher and references to the characters of certain books helped me better and more easily understand his point. I liked how he brings up the idea of how an educational system can be “hell” to some with a teacher who believes things like: that the purpose of schools are for “civilizing the beasts.” I am all for his idea of how teachers should “become a student of your students first, and then create a lively learning community through dialogue.” Although I hate reading, I honestly really loved and appreciated this reading!
I really liked Ayers' way of talking about teaching. This reading helped me realize why I want to become a teacher and what core values I will follow as a teacher. Throughout the reading, I found myself answering deep questions about teaching. These questions made me realize the huge influence teachers have over their students. Ayers mentioned in his article, “A teacher, of course, can help students think through historical context and social surround, can point to the larger universe of possibilities, and can offer alternatives that might be unknown to students. A teacher can help sort out the difference between a fact and a choice. Still, at last one chooses and one lives with the consequences of that choice” (p.15). I completely agree with Ayers’ idea. I believe that teachers should help students think critically and actively about themselves and the world around them. Students should be able to decide who they want to be and how they are going to get there. Our job as teachers is to help them throughout their journey.
ReplyDeleteNour Hamadeh
rosie:
ReplyDeleteAyer’s way of talking about teaching was really thoughtful and I liked his views on what teaching is. When he says that he wants teachers to figure out what they are teaching for and teaching against I asked myself that question and I was able to relate to the things he said he wanted to teach his students. He mentioned teaching toward things like love generosity and compassion. He also mentioned being a student of your student’s which I think is so important to realize because teachers should listen to their students and be able to have a conversation and learning that goes both ways. Reading this chapter reminded me of how important of a job being a teacher is because we have a lot of power in our hands and the ability to create more critical thinkers and encourage them to spark a dialogue about the world around them.
Naomi Debebe:
ReplyDeleteThe way Ayer’s thoughts on teaching was pretty interesting to me and agreed on some things that were said. I really liked when he was talking about being a student of your students which is something that can be important. Even though teachers are older and think they know everything. In reality, they really don’t. Even teachers have to learn and see how students are being taught and see which method of teaching is best for the class overall. This reading made me realize that most of the times it can be the teachers fault in some situations and before reading this I never thought like that. It really does go both ways and the students learns from the teachers as well no matter how long they have been in the education system.
Erin:
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Ayer’s ideas on teaching. I agree with Ayer’s focus on mental heath and safety. He encourages that kids speak there feelings for “healing and recovering”, “working through grief and fear”, and “becoming better people”. I agree with this because I think that kids should be able to grow personally and academically in an healthy learning environment. I also agree with the zero tolerance policy doesn’t solve the solution, it just take kids out of school, holding them back. I think students should have more access to counselors and therapy to help jeep kids in school and help them work through issues they may have. Something that made me think differently about teaching is that he says there is persistent tension between reality and possibility. It made me think about how I may not be able to help every single student the way they need me too or that the student won’t reach their full potential.
You can tell right from the beginning that Ayer is really passionate and doesn’t try to hide it. I admire the way he thinks about teaching, especially when he says “think of the teacher who extends the hand of possibility”. Early on in the reading, this really made me think about the meaning of teaching and how teachers have the power to help every individual, no matter where you’re from, develop in a positive way to extend their possibilities in life. This, to me, is really meaningful and powerful. I never thought of teaching this deeply and I always just thought I wanted to teach because I appreciated my elementary school teachers so much that I want to be able to give that to other children as well. Now, I realize that as a teacher you are in a really powerful position to make a big impact on a child’s life, especially at the elementary school age.
ReplyDeleteSierra Taylor
ReplyDeleteFocusing mostly on page 7, a thought about what an authoritarian teacher might be settled with me. I had never thought about the fact that when teachers have lectured me without any discussion or questioning, I am taking their opinion in as fact, a "pre-digested" idea of a concept that I cannot decide for myself. I want to be the kind of teacher who exposes the kids to my opinion by stating it is what I interpret, but not necessarily the truth if they have their own ideas on the topic. I want my students to feel comfortable enough with me to challenge my interpretations because that means they have listened and thought for themselves, in which I have done my job.
I thought Ayer's perspective on teaching to be very interesting to read about. I have always known I don't want to be an authoritarian of a teacher, but rather one who can actually treat students as human, no matter where they come from or who they are as people. It really irks me to know just how many teachers are so obsessed with following the rules and maintaining their status as a respectable person at the school, that they sometimes forget that these students aren't even old enough to have made the mistakes needed to grow into mature adults before leaving high school. I feel like there should be opportunities for students to make guided decisions to help build their morality, rather than to have it pre-destined for them when they enter the school.
ReplyDeleteAyer’s way of talking about teaching showed how passionate he is. There is a sentence that caught my eyes “become the student of your students first, and then create a lively learning community through dialogue.” Putting myself in my students’ shoes will help me understand how they are thinking and how they will react whether if it’s a lesson related or in general. Once figuring out how to communicate with each one of the students creating a fun lesson or an activity will make the students feel that the teacher cares about the way they want to learn the material. Becoming the “student of your student” will teach me new things before teaching my students. Will teach me how to be that teacher that these students should be excited to see and learn from. I think becoming a teacher is not an easy job because being a teacher is not just teaching lessons every day. Being a teacher is like being their first choice whenever they get to choose who to go to.
ReplyDeleteAlex Amirato
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this reading by Ayer’s and his outlook on teaching. The respect he holds for education is refreshing to read, and inspired me as a future educator. By definition, enterprise is a difficult project. Ayer’s writing supports this definition by discussing how schools mold our society, which is a project of the largest proportions. I especially liked his quote “schools serve societies and societies shape schools”. The idea that it is a cohesive system rather than two separate entities showed this in a new light for me. The “project” Ayer’s is trying to explain and work on is creating a school that molds a student into a citizen that can fit into society, but not turn them into a robot. Where this balance lies- I’m unsure, but this reading sparked a conversation in me for sure.
Ji-eun Hwang
ReplyDeleteThis article written by Ayers really highlighted some important information that can inspire those who want to pursue the education field. Towards the end, he asks the question "what is teaching for?" which I believe he answers with some core values. I just think it is so interesting that the things he said to somewhat answer the question are things that I can agree with. Like in his statement found on page 29 "We want to make choices on principle , but we also want to avoid deadening effects of orthodoxy..." that made me realize that there seems to be some hesitation with education.
This article really helped me understand how great teachers become so impactful to their students. I loved reading this article because I could place myself in the position as a teacher and student. Although I do not want to become a teacher, I can still see and understand how these core values and implications can help students from a guidance counselor as well. I used to think that teaching was an easy job and people chose this as a career because it was a last resort or plan B so to speak. When I told this to my sociology teacher in high school, he was shocked. He asked me why I thought that, and I replied that most teachers I've had lacked passion, care, and empathy. To me, they seemed dull; stuck on repeat with no sense of excitement. My teacher shared with me how hard it actually can be, and that it's not for everyone. Now, after reading this article, I understand and respect the teachers and professors that I had who really put Ayer's words to motion.
ReplyDeleteMelodee Hanson
Melodee, as someone who is also interested in a field related to teaching, this reading struck me as very eye opening, as well. I think people (like yourself) tend to underestimate the work and effort put forth by teachers, especially those we consider "good." Having been very close to some of my high school teachers, I am constantly blown away by the workload. This article, however, brought to my attention a different aspect of teaching that is likely even more hefty - ethics. Reflecting on my high school experience or even these last three years in college, the ethical dilemmas educators face are incredible. For example, simply extending a due date is questionable with regards to ethics. I also thought the idea of teaching for and against was thought-provoking. How can we support the growth of freedom of individuals but not dehumanize?
DeleteLabaree's piece we read for last class talked a lot about the politics of teaching and how schools effect society and individuals. I felt Ayers piece was a little less political and more about the heart of a teacher. It made me question what my person goals to teach are, because I know why I want to teach, but what are my goals for my class? I don't want students leaving my class that are like robots who have memorized all the info I put in the brain so they can pass a final test; I want them to be unique, confident, inspired, and have an interest in learning? I understood Ayers view as being that a teacher should inspire the individual student, not push conformity.
ReplyDeleteBritt:
ReplyDeleteI was really entertained by the way that Ayer’s was talking about teaching. He guides you to a principle of what teaching actually means, and that sometimes is hard to fathom with society constantly corrupting the ideology of teaching. I found that his views on teaching were mind opening; and that his aspects of teaching made me question about why are the school systems structured the way they are.
I found the topic of totalitarian teaching a really interesting one. It is extremely common for adults (not just teachers) to try to control kids and treat them not as actual human beings. It is very important to not treat children like that, as that causes children to lack the ability to have their own thought processes and ideas. Teachers should have the goal to teach kids more than just facts out of a book, but knowledge that will carry with them for the rest of their lives, which is sadly not the case for a lot of the adults in the education system.
ReplyDeleteThis was by Madison Williams
DeleteI enjoyed this article and reading the way Ayers thought about teaching. He is right when he talks about teachers having an important role in creating critical thinkers and more independent thinkers. Our job as teachers is to help guide students along and give the best guidance we can. Teachers have a huge influence on the way students think, it is important that we leave room for them to make their decisions and form their own opinions. He talks about inviting transformation for the students. I think that is so important. I enjoyed when he talked about open dialogue in the classroom to help personal growth and learning. Ayers was very passionate about teaching and the importance of it, and it showed through this article. I really enjoyed this reading.
ReplyDeleteJoiya Brightwell:
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with what everyone else above said, I absolutely loved the way that Ayers speaks about teaching. Based on his word choice and phrasing, the reader can clearly tell that Ayers is passionate and truly cares about teaching. A lot of what he said on page 18 and 19 really resonated with me. For example, the line about teachers needing to know what they are teaching for and against is so important. With all of the external issues that surround the education world, it is easy to lose sight of what is most important because of how severe these issues (low pay, lack of resources, lack of support from admin, etc.) are. So by reminding the readers of the purpose of teaching in the very last paragraph, Ayers brings it back full circle with the intention of reminding teachers of their why.
Anna Calabrese
ReplyDeleteAyers has a very interesting way of talking about education. His ideas are abstract and he seems to trail off into many different directions. I understand his basic point, though, that teaching is can be ethically ambiguous and has an agenda. He thinks it's up to use to decide if that agenda promotes authoritarianism or freedom. I thought that his discussion about schools being both for and against certain things was accurate, and I hadn't thought about the issue in that way before. I agree that often times schools tend to ignore the humanistic aspects of education and reduce its students to numbers or machines. Schools should instead cater to freedom and expression in order to help students reach their fullest potential. This includes the appreciation of both individuality and culture.
Valerie B.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the author style of writing; you can truly feel the passion in his words. I found is thoughts on authoritarian teaching interesting, and completely unrealistic. Every student and teacher are different, and there is no way to guarantee that even the perceived “best teacher” does not have a student or two who treat school like a weird tape recording. I enjoy his small rant about humanity and humanization, that we as teachers should always teach for the student and the downtrodden. I hope that this is realistic, and everyone that wants to teach can feel the level of commitments and manic helpfulness radiating from this author.
I really enjoyed hearing this author talk about teaching. You can tell he is passionate about teaching just by reading these few pages. What this reading made me think was It's hard to do your own teaching when society thinks they have it all figured out for you and you're supposed to learn and teach based on that. He said to keep our eyes open to freedom and pathways to truth at the end. I really liked that because teachers and students should broaden our imagination to things like humanity. We tend to lack in coming up with ideas. People should take what this author is trying to convey and use it.
ReplyDelete-Michaela H.
Alexa L.:
ReplyDeleteFrom the beginning of the article, the reader can tell that Ayers really cares about education, and values the core of the students. He goes into talking about the authoritarian perspective of teaching and how it can strip away the student’s individuality. Ayers says, “she starts school with an empty cassette in her head. Teachers turn the recorder on or off as they please. When the tape is full she is finished.” Ayers is showing how little growth comes from this way of teaching. I think that it is very interesting how he uses this to contradict authoritarian style of teaching, and to promote a style that instead focuses on the student as an individual and leads them to grow to their full potential. I think reading this article now is very important, as it reminds us as hopeful teachers what our purpose really is, and what it means to be a good teacher.
Erica:
ReplyDeleteI found Ayer’s way of thinking to be very interesting because he is able to separate his own personal experiences and look at the issue from a non-bias perspective. The idea of schools serving as both a “mirror and a window” stuck out to me because it perfectly describes the relationship between the society surrounding our schools. Our education system and the result of our education systems is a direct reflection of how our society acts as a whole. The people we put in charge of our student’s futures should be the best representation of our society; the teachers should be the definition of what it means to be a good human in order to ensure our students are learning from genuinely good people. Ayer’s view on education primarily focused on the root causes of certain teaching flaws i.e. authoritarian teaching. He went into detail about how that teaching style is destructive in the classroom setting but more importantly it is destructive towards the most important part of the equation, our students. This style of teaching causes the student to feel submissive and lesser to their educators and it is impossible to get an adequate education when there is no middle ground between the student and educator.
Lexi Lawson:
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you guys. I do like how he used the word rhythm to describe what we should be following. It dove in deeper to his previous statement that there really is no linear path to teaching. I like his analogy of greeks acting like greeks but people who visit Greece then act greek, so on and so forth in relation to how a teacher or an environment can that easily mold anyone. A good reminder to be careful and cautious to what you say and do. I love how raw this reading was. The exposure to knowing before hand some internal struggles we will inevitably face is almost like seeing the future. I like how this was not as political as opposed to Labrees reading. This was therapeutic in a way to know I have time before I'm a teacher meaning I have time to think about all these questions laid out.
Nathsn:
ReplyDeleteAyer’s outlook on education is very inspiring to me, especially as a future educator. This article helped me understand the importance of making an impact on the students we teach. Ayer’s writing helps you understand what teaching really means and what differences you can make as an educator. It is common for people within society to look down upon those who become teachers and there is just a negative stigma. Honestly, I thought the same until I met a teacher who inspired me to strive for greatness. After reading this article it just assures me that this is what I want to do with my life. Ayer hopes to have a system in which teachers can help guide students to contribute to society rather than just go with the flow or norm.
Presley: I really enjoyed The passion in ayers voice during this reading, it was really moving and motivating in my thoughts about becoming a teacher one day. I have always known that the job of a teacher was difficult with a multitude of outside factors influencing each and every student differently in the classroom every day but the reality of all the conflicting approaches and goals of the education system around the world is clear now. I also really love the part where he asked teachers to think about why they are teaching and what they are teaching for or against. This is definitely a question that I will ponder as I go through the rest of my education and my early experiences as a teacher. I hope that I can be as confident as Ayres is encouraging people to be about finding their own rhythm in the classroom, being a student of their students first, and finding compassion and love for what I do and for each and every student that I have. What are some things you would teach for or teach against? What does it mean to be a student of your students?
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed The passion in ayers voice during this reading, it was really moving and motivating in my thoughts about becoming a teacher one day. I have always known that the job of a teacher was difficult with a multitude of outside factors influencing each and every student differently in the classroom every day but the reality of all the conflicting approaches and goals of the education system around the world is clear now. I also really love the part where he asked teachers to think about why they are teaching and what they are teaching for or against. This is definitely a question that I will ponder as I go through the rest of my education and my early experiences as a teacher. I hope that I can be as confident as Ayres is encouraging people to be about finding their own rhythm in the classroom, being a student of their students first, and finding compassion and love for what I do and for each and every student that I have. What are some things you would teach for or teach against? What does it mean to be a student of your students?
ReplyDeleteAyers’ article was both thoughtful and thought-provoking. It is filled with interesting premises such as the humanization versus dehumanization idea. As he says, it would appear that these two paths would be distinct when, in reality (real life), it is never that simple. Choices we will have to be made in the classroom which are “murkier…more difficult…long-term effects unknown to us…We walk our wobbly pathways as best we can, with hope, certainly but without guarantees.” (p16) That passage really spoke to me. Through my service-learning experience last semester, I saw first - hand how influential the classroom teacher is to students. It is both an awesome responsibility and a tremendous opportunity to do something impactful in our community - to help young students on their paths to a fulfilling future. I hope to be one of the “moral actors” (p14) he describes who can set an example for her students. Rather than concentrate on being an authoritarian, resolve to engage, include, and listen patiently. Surely this is a better path to help human beings reach their full potential. (p1) We’ve come a long way since the days when students were not supposed to think, discuss, contradict, or contest (p7) but there is still a long way to go to win over school districts to the idea of teaching morality - surely an important skillset - even if it doesn’t appear on an SOL! Ethics matter. Ayers’ assertion that teaching is a “relentlessly moral endeavor” (p20) is an aspect of teaching I had not considered but another provocative idea. Great article.
ReplyDeleteRebecca Mendoza Vasquez
ReplyDeleteI found Ayers' perspective to be open and informative. I found it interesting to read about how a teacher can guide someone into decision making, but at the end of the day, it is their choice to make. It can be easy to just decide what you think is right because you're a teacher and an adult, but that's going to leave a negative impact. I think it's important to remember that we are teaching and guiding children into being independent and confident in their abilities, not just spoon feeding what they need to hear. A section that goes off of this and stuck out to me was when Ayers' said, "But reality is not like this. The choices we make daily in classrooms are murkier, denser, more layered, and more difficult. The implications of our choices are not always clear, the long-term effects not only unknown to us, but often unknowable as well."